Summer to remember for Jackson U12 Little League baseball: 'The underdog from the start.'

TOMS RIVER — What a difference a week makes.

The Jackson U12 Little League baseball team in the District 18 Tournament brushed itself off after last week's shutout loss to Toms River and completely turned the tables Friday night, winning the rematch 5-4.

To find the hero look no farther than Jaxson Milisauskas, 12, and his hot bat.

The first and third baseman kept his team’s season alive in the elimination game. With the game tied 4-4, no runners on base, and behind on the count, Milisauskas sent a game-winning dinger over the fence in left field - it was his second homer of the night.

More: Backs to the wall: Freehold Township Little League baseball has no quit in tournament

More: Little League World Series is far off but powerhouse South Wall team dreaming big

He didn't exactly sprint around the bases - instead, he first marveled at seeing the ball soaring through the scorching evening air.

“I knew it, I was real happy,” Milisauskas said. “I was just like, ‘I just came in clutch that game. I won the game.' That’s what I said.”

“He’s a gamer,” said Jackson head coach Angel Cruz. "The kid's a gamer. Every time he gets in there he’s looking to hit the ball hard, put it in play, the kid loves to step in that box.”

Jackson is the Cinderella team

Jackson teams have won 9 of the last 18 district tournaments but things weren't looking up when the other Jackson team, Holbrook, was eliminated, and Jackson dropped a 9-0 decision against Toms River last week.

“I let them know numerous times we’ve been the underdog from the start,” Cruz said. “Especially when we went 1-4 in pool play then everybody had written us off. But this group of kids are a feisty bunch, they don’t like being looked at that way, they want the same respect as all the other teams.”

Jackson and Toms River will play one final time Saturday at 5 p.m. (in Toms River) to decide the district championship.

Clutch pitching from closeout pitcher Avery Cruz

Cruz’s son and closing pitcher Avery Cruz came in the bottom of the third inning in relief of John Hartnett, who finished with three strikeouts and 52 pitches.

Avery showed ice in his veins with a total of 33 pitches, allowing no runs, and closing the game on a strikeout.

“He’s a character but he’s one of those guys that the pressure doesn’t bother him. He’s OK with it,” Angel Cruz said. “Throughout the whole season we use him on the back end of the rotation because we know it doesn’t faze him, the chirping, the pressure, he’s OK, he has no issues with it.”

“I was just like, ‘I can’t blow it here,” Avery said. “I’ve been on fire recently, pitching really well, but we can’t blow it for our team.”

Jackson took a 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a Milisauskas homer and Carter Tittle RBI to bring home Gavin Hobbs from first base. Ace Faustino had an RBI to bring home Chance Faustino to up the lead 3-0 in the top of the second inning.  The next inning, Avery had an RBI to bring home Dominick Calise.

“We had a good fight, some ups and downs on our team, but tied game, I got it back for our team, we’re pumped,” said Milisauskas.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Summer to remember for Jackson U12 Little League baseball: 'The underdog from the start.'